1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cabinet for heating, ventilating, and air conditioning equipment and more specifically relates to a cover panel with configurable duct connections.
2. Description of Related Art
An air handler is any apparatus comprising an enclosure that contains at least one piece of air handling equipment, such as a blower, heat exchanger, compressor, filter, etc. Air handlers typically provide conditioned air to a comfort zone, such as a room or other designated area within a building. The conditioning of the air may include, but is not limited to, heating, cooling, humidifying, dehumidifying, filtering, ventilating, and various combinations thereof.
Air handlers can assume a wide variety of configurations with one example being a direct expansion refrigerant system. A direct expansion refrigerant system typically comprises a refrigerant circuit that includes a compressor, a condenser, an expansion device and an evaporator. The equipment plus a blower is normally housed within an outdoor cabinet that is installed atop or adjacent to a building served by the air handler.
To heat or cool the building, the blower forces air across the condenser or evaporator, and supply and return air ducts convey the air between the building and the air handler. The supply air duct conveys the conditioned air to the building, while the return air duct conveys used air from the building to the air handler.
The cross-sectional shape of the ducts (e.g., round or rectangular) and the layout of the ductwork are usually dictated by the design of each particular air handler and various features of the building. Problems can occur when after years of use the originally installed air handler needs to be replaced. The replacement system may require ductwork of a different shape and layout. Thus, various duct adaptors and convoluted transitional ductwork may be needed to connect a replacement air handler to a building's existing ductwork. This may reduce airflow through the ducts and create an unsightly installation.
Problems may also occur with new installations where ductwork must connect a certain air handler to a particular building. In some cases, “spec homes” may be built complete with ductwork but without the air handler. This allows the new homeowner to specify their preferred air handler. The chosen air handler, however, may not necessarily match the home's pre-installed ductwork. In other cases, the home or building may have immovable structural members that inhibit certain duct configurations.
Consequently, a need exists for a system or method of connecting an air handler (e.g., a replacement unit or an original installation) to a building's existing ductwork.